The Second Battle of Solomon VI
Solomon Six has always been disputed territory between the Americans and the Japanese, and even by 2180 it was still a heated topic. On March 17th, 2180, it was disputed once more in the second battle of Solomon VI. It has been called less a battle and more a small war in the series of battles between the United States and the Japanese over colonial territory. The Story On March 16th, 2180, Japanese-backed Extremists took hostages at Solomon's capital, among them the American Governor, and bombed a variety of targets, including the local Colonial Marine garrison (Multiple times, too) before retreating to one of the atmospheric processors on the planet, AP-S6-D, also known as Processor Delta to the locals. Before the Colonists and their Marine garrison could retaliate, however, the Terrorists bombed some of the world's major space elevators after declaring it a sovereign state., cutting off major supply lines. Three days later, a Japanese Carrier and a small battlegroup appeared in-system, declaring the planet Japanese Territory and demanding that the Americans surrender. The orbiting Defense Stations, manned by USCM personnel, stayed silent. Three hours later, one of ten stations was bombarded and then boarded, with the crew captured or dead. The Japanese repeated their demand, and the process continued. However, on the second station's boarding, the boarding party found an empty station and a nuclear device on it's last two digits. The station was then vaporized, and the boarding ship crippled. On the ground, cities had been haphazardly evacuated as the Colonial Marine General in charge, Alaric, took charge and prepared for the worst. At processor Delta, the extremists maintained constant communication with the orbiting Japanese. Meanwhile, the remaining defense stations set the guns to automatic and prepared their defenses, rigging the reactors to blow in case the japanese got in, and boarded lifeboats after sending distress calls to the nearest USCM outpost. However, these stations were then ignored as the Japanese Fleet stationed itself around the moon of Solomon, LV-934, and began to deploy aerospace craft to the planet, sending flight after flight bombers and dropships to clear and set up FOB positions, the largest of which would be at the Delta Processor. Meanwhile, the General and his men stayed in hiding, attempting to keep the civilians safe. USCM Battlegroup Sixteen days after the incident, on April 3rd, 2180, a USCM Battlegroup arrives in-system to retake the colony. Below is the series of After Action reports describing various operations leading up to May 3rd, 2180, with the surrender of the Japanese force. 'After Action report, April 3rd, 2180, Solomon System, Operation Cauterization' 0600, Earth-GMT Time; USCM Battlegroup arrives in-system, led by the USS Alistoun, and supported by the USS Tyrargo, Patna, Cynthian, Skyfall, Cadmus, and multiple smaller craft. 0625, Battlegroup mobilized, begins a course towards Solomon VI. 0650, Japanese Scouts are detected, and are subsequentially shot down. Operation Greenscreen begins. OP-GRNSCRN: Protect the US Battlegroup as it travels to the Colony. 0705, Cynthian launches Fighter Group Malta (MSGT Kerman, Haestrom Wing, MSGT Siero, Manta Wing, 10 craft) using SF74s for field testing and Combat Air Patrols. Alistoun begins deploying combat drones to supplement the Fighters and provide greater point defense. 0725, Malta encounters more scouts, and after a short fight, they are dispatched. A fighter is lost (PVT Rakar, body not recoverable) after being hit in the cockpit by SADAR. 0740, a Japanese Corvette makes a run, covered by fighters, and is able to escape with intelligence on the Battlegroup, including the size and number of ships. However, it is heavily damaged by Malta and the A21M Stellars accompanying it were all shot down. Three survivors. 0820, Japanese Blockade consisting of two frigates, a Medium Cruiser, and a Heavy Cruiser are engaged. USS Cadmus is heavily damaged, and 20 crewmen plus it’s hangar bays are lost. 0827, Malta makes a run on the blockade and is able to damage the weapons systems of the medium cruiser. Cadmus is further damaged, and withdraws to rear of fleet; Alistoun dispatches repair drones. 0830, Alistoun successfully fires a fully-charged particle beam and fries a Frigate. Skyfall terminates the other with a blast from the Boyars-PARS, and the Medium Cruiser is heavily damaged. The Heavy withdraws. 0945, EEVs from the IJS Takeo and Nagasaki are recovered, and Japanese POWs are taken. Survivors and bodies recovered. 1020, Malta is relieved from CAP duty as two wings of SF72s (Group Sabre) are dispatched from the Alistoun. 1035, Group Sabre is ambushed by a corvette pair covered by A21M Stellars, and suffers heavy losses. Enemy retreats from Sensor Range. 1045, long range sensors detect Japanese Ships withdrawing from Solomon VI’s orbit. They also detect six intact defense stations, but no lifesigns. 1150, after relative peace the Battlegroup establishes orbit over Solomon VI. OP-GRNSCRN successful. 'After Action report, April 5th, 2180, Solomon VI, Operation Domination' 2200, Local Time, USS Cynthian, Alistoun; Bomber Wing Artemis and Fighter Group Malta are briefed on Operation Domination, as is the 106th drop group. OP-DOM: Targeting of Japanese FOB Mateo. 0400 Local Time, USS Alistoun; Bomber Wing Artemis (Four AX-13s led by MSGT Johnson) deploys. 0405, USS Cynthian; Fighter Group Malta (9 Aircraft, MSGT Kerman, Haestrom Wing, MSGT Siero, Manta Wing) combat drops and escorts Artemis. 0415, USS Alistoun; Five UD-4Ls follow the strike group in. 0430, High Atmosphere, Malta and Artemis complete Re-Entry, and are inbound to target. 0449, 63.4 KM above sea level; Malta is discovered by a Japanese CAP, but the hostile A21Ms are dispatched rapidly. However, MSGT Siero is shot down, confirmed KIA. Fighter marked for recovery of Dog Tags and body. MSGT Kerman takes command of both of Malta’s wings. 0455, 45 KM above sea level; Japanese Emergency Transmission decoded, bombers are five minutes out from target. Japanese are preparing defenses. 0500, within 50 KM of target, Artemis begins bombing; Malta performs CAP and precision strikes, and the 106th are a few minutes out. 0507, Artemis pulls off, losing one craft (Pilot survived, recovered) as Malta continues CAP and secures area, 106th begin landing. 0515, 106th have established a beachhead and are securing the area and finding enemy survivors. 0523, hostile squadron detected from high altitudes, northeast, likely from hostile Carrier or other FOB. 0527, Malta intercepts hostile squadrons. Heavy fighting occurs, but the new SF74s hold their own against the Japanese Stellars. However, three planes are shot down, among them is MSGT Kerman. Survived and recovered later. 0539, Malta returns to the captured FOB Mateo, Operation Domination successful. 0556, Mateo is fully secured and a beachhead is established. 0820, USS Tyrargo is assigned full management of FOB Mateo. 2302, local time, Kerman is recovered, having suffered minor injuries after evading Japanese forces. Reinstated as Haestrom Wing Commander (GUNSGT Mako promoted to Commander of Manta Wing) Category:Events Category:Locations To be finished later - Cravitus Category:Events Category:Locations